Over mambaling stabbing incident: 2 minors, 2 others face frustrated murder raps

CEBU, Philippines - Four persons including two minors are facing criminal charges before a trial court for allegedly stabbing several times a 21-year-old man due to jealousy a week ago in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor found sufficient ground to hold Robert Vilacho, April Rhey Fajardo, and two other 17-year-old boys for trial for frustrated murder after they allegedly mauled and stabbed Jerukoan  Wah with a knife.

All suspects are residents of Sitio Ubos-Puso in Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.

The incident took place at around 2 a.m. of October 22 at the junction of Mambaling flyover.

In his affidavit, Wah alleged that Vilacho constantly threatened him through text messages and accused him of having an affair with the latter's live-in partner, Rosselle Cabasa, who is the former girlfriend of Wah.

He recalled that in the evening of October 21, he and Cabasa, along with two friends, went to Sitio Viking-Alaska in Barangay Mambaling to attend a disco.

While attending the event, Cabasa suddenly got lost from their sight which prompted Wah and his friends to search for her because she also forgot her cellphone, which was then in Wah's possession.

They later found Cabasa together with Vilacho at the junction of Mambaling flyover.  Upon seeing them, Vilacho reportedly became suspicious and threw accusation against him and Cabasa.

Wah said he was surprised when several unidentified men attacked and mauled him.

"As much as I wanted to run and evade more punches from them, Robert (Vilacho) and his men were able to catch me and continued to attack," he recounted.

Vilacho allegedly instructed Fajardo to stab Wah, who obtained stab wounds in the different parts of his body.

When the suspects fled, Cabasa brought Wah to Cebu City Medical Center where he was promptly treated and fortunately survived.

Later that day, Vilacho along with the three suspects were arrested in Dalaguete for illegal possession of firearm.

Police later learned that the group had earlier figured in a stabbing incident in Barangay Mambaling. (FREEMAN)